'Prodigal Son' Episode 5 dives into the backstory of Aurora Perrineau's Dani and teases an interesting friendship with Malcolm
Spoilers ahead for Episode 5 'The Trip' of 'Prodigal Son'
In episode five 'The Trip', Malcolm (Tom Payne) is unable to sleep as nightmares, terrors, vague visions from his past and hallucinations keep coming back to him making it impossible for him to even take a nap, let alone have a good night's rest.
Desperate to channel his focus, he turns up at the police station to ask Gil (Lou Diamond Phillips) if he has any murders that he could solve.
Gil refuses at first saying that he doesn't have anything that requires a criminal profiler, but when Malcolm finds out that Gil and the team are going to a drug gang murder scene, he tags along.
Haitian drug kingpin Jacques Desir is dead — his neck sliced, his tongue cut off and covered in white powder (drugs, presumably cocaine). Dani seems to know a lot about drug circles in New York City.
And even though she names a Dominican street gang led by a certain Saulo Reyes (Robert Montano), Malcolm isn't all that sure that the murder happened over drugs — he can clearly see there is an emotional aspect involved here — this murder is about anger.
This crime investigation gives us the backstory to Aurora Perrineau's Dani Powell. Malcolm prods Dani about her history — how does she know so much about drugs.
It turns out that Dani was undercover in Desir's crew. And their suspect Estime (Hampton Fluker), who was also a part of Desir's crew, had figured out that she was a cop but never said anything.
"And then he saved me," she says. Malcolm infers that Dani must have overdosed at some points getting hooked when undercover, and it was Estime who took her to the hospital when no one else cared. This had them sharing an unspoken bond.
Fans are applauding Perrineau's performance this episode. "It's awesome seeing Dani open up and showing her vulnerability as opposed to the hard exterior she tends to have. And the dynamic between her and Malcolm is so interesting. Amazing performance tonight, @AuroraPerrineau," said a fan.
The actress has charmed her way into the hearts of fans. "Wow I just really love Dani wtf @AuroraPerrineau is absolutely fantastic."
Dani opening up to Malcolm proved just how much both of them need friends. They even said they're friends and while their banter was garnished with some light flirting, it only had fans excited. 'Prodigal Son' airs on Mondays at 9 pm ET/PT on Fox.